Earnhardt Ganassi Racing minority owner Felix Sabates hinted last week that Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing would sport a major sponsor for the forthcoming Shelby American at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“You are going to see a major, major, major sponsor on our car in Las Vegas that will remain for the balance of the year. We might have gotten it anyway, but the Daytona 500 solidified it for us.”

Jamie McMurray, the Daytona 500 champion, lacked sponsorship for a handful of races in 2010, as Bass Pro Shops only committed to sponsor roughly twenty races. While celebrating his colossal win at Daytona, McMurray cunningly slipped in a sponsor plug.

“After we won Talladega (last fall), we went to McDonald’s. I think tonight we’ll have a Big Mac.”

While some observable individuals may have identified the sponsor plug, most viewers failed to notice McMurray’s McDonald’s reference.

Nevertheless, the branded fast food chain will serve as the primary sponsor on the No. 1 Chevrolet at Las Vegas. The deal includes sponsorship for approximately ten to twelve selected races throughout the 2010 season.

The 2010 season is young, but McMurray has generated some headlines thus far with a win and a pole. His career does not seem to be destined for journeyman status. It seems that once a driver reaches a certain age and enjoys limited success, they begin to jump from team to team, with each new team being a downgrade from the previous. McMurray circumvented that dreaded trend by maintaining an amicable relationship with his previous boss, Chip Ganassi.

McMurray won the Daytona 500, attracted a major sponsor, now he must prove that he is not a one-race wonder in 2010. Winning a race at a track such as Las Vegas or Atlanta would adequately solidify his Daytona 500 victory.

McMurray is currently fourth in the Sprint Cup standings after two races following a seventeenth place finish at California.